Mike Nicoll

I cannot be 100% but it is a good chance that of the row of bows together boats 7 & 8 from left could be Hawkesbury & Sirius

Arcturus & Electra 1999.xps

This is Electra outside Uxbridge boat centre waiting for a new prop shaft and prop to be fitted after attending The Rickmansworth canal festival 1999.

It is sad that Electra has been left the way it is. I owned Electra from 1997 - 2001 as motor boat to the Butty Sirius.

Thanks Pete, that makes sense.

Yes he did until 1999 when he retired

Celtic I would not think was the original name.

Bryan Nicoll, Arcturus was a passenger boat in Guilford under the company name The way waterborne company.

I also found this a good read. one part mentions being towed to the entrance of the Basingstoke canal by the motor boat Arcturus when she was on her way back to the river way at Guildford. Getting back to the poor boat that was sunk, does anyone know of the boats name.

I agree with you Pete it is good to look back at the history of this restoration, and it is good of Grawar to share this with us. At this particular time I had brought Sirius and was having the stern end rebuilt by John woolly at Brentford.

Hello Grawar if you recall post 27 it was suggested that Aries was the best condition wooden Grand union Motor boat, I just pointed out that there were other wooden motor boats in good condition, one being Arcturus. Ray was good enough to enclose a picture that demonstrated the condition of Arcturus at that Time.

One of the main issues to consider is the extra stopping distance needed, with this lighter engine.

Hello Grawar Interesting history not sure how qualified Malcolm Braine would be to suggest that Aries was the best Grand Union wooden motor boat hull left in existence, as there must have been a large number of wooden Grand union motor boats still in good shape at that time. Indeed Arcturus which was the first wooden motor built for the Grand union Canal Carrying company was at that time a Passenger boat licensed to carry 54 passengers, so would have had to be in pretty good shape for this!!

With chance 2 the cones were made using lorry tyres similar to paddle wheels housed in metal cylinders either side of the keelson and would have protruded the bottom of the boat by an inch or two so that if the boat run aground no damage would have been done. The engine on chance 2 was a royal Enfield diesel.

Getting back on track who can remember chance 2? in the 90s she had found her way on to the Avon

Also one of the early Hotel boats had these cones fitted, just can not think which one at the moment.

I have just been informed to expect this by 23rd January 2017 from Amazon.

Yes, The 1st picture shows my dad at the stern of Arcturus.

Picture 198 Sorry I tried but I am not Tec - minded, There must be loads of photos out there of Sirius paired with Arcturus or even Electra.

I would argue that, but then I would be biased, in my view the best remaining small Ricky butty would be Sirius.

What about the small Ricky Butty Merak at the boat museum at Elsmere port

thanks for the info i think that will get a visit from waterways

[quote name='carlt' date='Dec 8 2009, 09:19 AM' post='45692 I haven't been able to get up there but Umbriel's safe enough. Ariel's fine, though she could benefit from wooden top bends and front deck hello carl its been some 11 days since it was reported that umbriel sank has she been refloated? you normaly come back with a progress report.

another film that i would be interested in getting a copy of is flower of glosster it was put out as a series in the late 60s or early 70s. so if you come across imformaton of that in your hunt of maidens trip that will be of great interest. mike